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  1. Wed: 1 Chronicles 1-6
  2. Thu: Hebrews 12-13
  3. Fri: Hosea 11-14
Saturday · Week 35
The Books of Poetry & Wisdom

Psalms 128-135

Week 35 · about 7 min
  1. Sun: Numbers 11-14
  2. Mon: John 9-10
  3. Tue: Jeremiah 23-24

More Songs of Degrees, about family, forgiveness, quiet trust, and unity.

Out of the Depths

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Psalm 133:1 (KJV)

Psalm 130 begins, “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee.” Then it asks a big question: “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” The answer: “But there is forgiveness with thee.” The writer waits for God “more than they that watch for the morning,” and he says it twice. Psalm 131 is only three verses. The writer has calmed his soul “as a child that is weaned of his mother,” a child who rests in his mother’s arms without demanding anything. Psalm 133 pictures unity among God’s people like precious oil running down Aaron’s beard.

Reflect: Is your soul more like a demanding baby or a weaned child right now?

Psalm 128

1A Song of the going up. Happy is the worshipper of the Lord, who is walking in his ways.

2You will have the fruit of the work of your hands: happy will you be, and all will be well for you.

3Your wife will be like a fertile vine in the inmost parts of your house: your children will be like olive plants round your table.

4See! this is the blessing of the worshipper of the Lord.

5May the Lord send you blessing out of Zion: may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

6May you see your children's children. Peace be on Israel.

Psalm 129

1A Song of the going up. Great have been my troubles from the time when I was young (let Israel now say);

2Great have been my troubles from the time when I was young, but my troubles have not overcome me.

3The ploughmen were ploughing on my back; long were the wounds they made.

4The Lord is true: the cords of the evil-doers are broken in two.

5Let all the haters of Zion be shamed and turned back.

6Let them be like the grass on the house-tops, which is dry before it comes to full growth.

7He who gets in the grain has no use for it; and they do not make bands of it for the grain-stems.

8And those who go by do not say, The blessing of the Lord be on you; we give you blessing in the name of the Lord.

Psalm 130

1A Song of the going up. Out of the deep have I sent up my cry to you, O Lord.

2Lord, let my voice come before you: let your ears be awake to the voice of my prayer.

3O Jah, if you took note of every sin, who would go free?

4But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be feared.

5I am waiting for the Lord, my soul is waiting for him, and my hope is in his word.

6My soul is watching for the Lord more than those who are watching for the morning; yes, more than the watchers for the morning.

7O Israel, have hope in the Lord; for with the Lord is mercy and full salvation.

8And he will make Israel free from all his sins.

Psalm 131

1A Song of the going up. Of David. Lord, there is no pride in my heart and my eyes are not lifted up; and I have not taken part in great undertakings, or in things over-hard for me.

2See, I have made my soul calm and quiet, like a child on its mother's breast; my soul is like a child on its mother's breast.

3O Israel, have hope in the Lord, from this time and for ever.

Psalm 132

1A Song of the going up. Lord, give thought to David, and to all his troubles;

2How he made an oath to the Lord, and gave his word to the great God of Jacob, saying,

3Truly, I will not come into my house, or go to my bed,

4I will not give sleep to my eyes, or rest to my eyeballs,

5Till I have got a place for the Lord, a resting-place for the great God of Jacob.

6We had news of it at Ephrathah: we came to it in the fields of the wood.

7Let us go into his tent; let us give worship at his feet.

8Come back, O Lord, to your resting-place; you and the ark of your strength.

9Let your priests be clothed with righteousness; and let your saints give cries of joy.

10Because of your servant David, do not give up your king.

11The Lord gave a true oath to David, which he will not take back, saying, I will give your kingdom to the fruit of your body.

12If your children keep my word, and the teachings which I will give them, their children will be rulers of your kingdom for ever.

13For the Lord's heart is on Zion, desiring it for his resting-place.

14This is my rest for ever: here will I ever be; for this is my desire.

15My blessing will be on her food; and her poor will be full of bread.

16Her priests will be clothed with salvation; and her saints will give cries of joy.

17There I will make the horn of David fertile: I have made ready a light for my king.

18His haters will be clothed with shame; but I will make his crown shining.

Psalm 133

1A Song of the going up. Of David. See how good and how pleasing it is for brothers to be living together in harmony!

2It is like oil of great price on the head, flowing down over the face, even Aaron's face: coming down to the edge of his robe;

3Like the dew of Hermon, which comes down on the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord gave orders for the blessing, even life for ever.

Psalm 134

1A Song of the going up. Give praise to the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who take your places in the house of the Lord by night.

2Give praise to the Lord, lifting up your hands in his holy place.

3May the Lord, who made heaven and earth, send you blessing out of Zion,

Psalm 135

1Let the Lord be praised. O you servants of the Lord, give praise to the name of the Lord.

2You who are in the house of the Lord, and in the open spaces of the house of our God,

3Give praise to Jah, for he is good: make melody to his name, for it is pleasing.

4For the Lord has taken Jacob for himself, and Israel for his property.

5I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is greater than all other gods.

6The Lord has done whatever was pleasing to him, in heaven, and on the earth, in the seas and in all the deep waters.

7He makes the mists go up from the ends of the earth; he makes thunder-flames for the rain; he sends out the winds from his store-houses.

8He put to death the first-fruits of Egypt, of man and of beast.

9He sent signs and wonders among you, O Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants.

10He overcame great nations, and put strong kings to death;

11Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan;

12And gave their land for a heritage, even for a heritage to Israel his people.

13O Lord, your name is eternal; and the memory of you will have no end.

14For the Lord will be judge of his people's cause; his feelings will be changed to his servants.

15The images of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

16They have mouths, but no voice, they have eyes, but they do not see;

17They have ears, but no hearing; and there is no breath in their mouths.

18Those who make them are like them; and so is everyone who puts his hope in them.

19Give praise to the Lord, O children of Israel: give praise to the Lord, O sons of Aaron:

20Give praise to the Lord, O sons of Levi: let all the worshippers of the Lord give him praise.

21Praise be to the Lord out of Zion, even to the Lord whose house is in Jerusalem, Let the Lord be praised.

Bible in Basic English (BBE). Bible in Basic English (BBE), public domain in the United States.